The idea of using locating beacons in balls has been proposed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,038 discloses a football with a transmitter at each end transmitting different frequencies. These are detected by antennas off the field of play to detect line crossing as in out of bounds or a score.
WO2005/044396 discloses a construction where the electronic components are held in the centre of the ball between two or more bladder portions that fill the interior of the ball.
USA 2006/0135297 Discloses a number of arrangements most of which locate the sensors adjacent the bladder wall or outer covering of the ball. One proposal is to suspend the sensors within the ball.
WO 2011/1095353 also discloses locating the sensors adjacent the bladder wall or outer covering of the ball.
Australian patent 2008205421 discloses a ball tracking system in which a ball incorporates a short range beacon and players wear data loggers that record the ball beacon signal when received indicating that the ball is being contested or possessed by the player. This system is less expensive than other systems and enables an in expensive beacon to be used in the ball so that frequent replacement is not an issue.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,740,551 discloses a number of arrangements for suspending the electronics within the ball. These include mounting feet on the bladder wall.
USA 20100130315 discloses a a ball with two diametrically opposed electronic devices on the bladder wall with connecting wiring on the bladder wall. One of the devices is one or more LED's and the other is a pressure sensor and battery. One of the devices is mounted around the valve of the bladder.
USA 20120058845 discloses a ball construction where the electronic unit is located in a compartment separated from the pressurised interior of the ball. The compartment is located opposite the valve for the bladder.
It is an object of this invention to provide an inexpensive means of locating a an electronic transmitter in a ball for use in the system disclosed in Australian patent 2008205421.